Dadar, Worli, Wadala, Ghatkopar, Andheri, Lokhandawala, Borivali, Kandivali, Jogeshwari, Mulund and Vile Parle were hotspot of dahi handi celebrations.
MUMBAI: Janmashtami is a celebration of Lord Krishna’s birth and one of the events that devotees look forward to is the Dahi Handi competitions that every community celebrating the festival holds.
The dahi handi ritual is an imitation of Lord Krishna’s actions. The boy who is at the top of the pyramid is referred to as Govinda and the groups are handis or mandals.
Reenacting how Lord Krishna used to steal butter as a child, hordes of young men prepare year round to mak human pyramids to reach and break a pot of butter suspended high in the air.
This occasion often turns into a fierce competition as teams compete to see who can reach the suspended pot the fastest.
Religious institutions, political leaders and Govinda mandals took part in the dahi handi celebrations which were marked by frequent chants of “Govinda aala re” (Govinda has come).
Several organisers roped in celebrities to pull the crowd in their dahi handi events.Female Govindas also hit the streets in large numbers and broke dahi handis.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and megastar Amitabh Bachchan wished people on the occasion through posts on Twitter.
Shiv Sena MLA Prakash Surve, NCP leaders Sachin Ahir and Pratap Sarnaik, among others, also organised the popular event in different parts of the metropolis.
